In the never-ending quest for cinematic gems hidden in the weekly TV listings, here's what I'll be watching (or at least recording) this week:

What: "Ron Howard: 50 Years in Film," a new documentary on the child-star-turned-director.

When: 7 p.m. Monday (Dec. 29), with an encore airing at 10 p.m.

Where: TCM (Turner Classic Movies) cable channel

Why: From "Cocoon" to "Splash" to "Apollo 13" to "A Beautiful Mind," Howard's well-assembled films all share one trait: a thorough enjoyability. Here, the director discusses his career with critic and documentarian Richard Schickel, right up to his latest, the critically acclaimed "Frost/Nixon." Good stuff.